Day-Visitor's Guide

Hours

The Monastery accepts day visitors who wish to see the grounds from 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM seven days a week. No tourists will be accepted after 2:30 PM. Day visitors can stay for the church services after 2:30 pm. Please notify a father at the gatehouse if you wish stay for the service.

Groups

If you are in a group of ten or more people, please call in advance so that we may be properly prepared to receive you.

Arrival

All visitors are asked to stop at the gatehouse upon arrival. If a monk is not immediately available at the Bookstore when you arrive, we kindly ask that you wait at the gift shop until one of the monks returns.

Proper Attire

Visitors must be properly attired to enter the Monastery grounds. In
general, clothing should be modest and loose-fitting, and include the
following:

Orthodox clergy must wear a cassock (raso) in the Monastery and an outer cassock (exoraso) in the services.

Men must wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts

Women must wear long skirts, long-sleeved blouses, and scarves.
(Please, no pants/slacks (unless worn under skirt), no tight-fitting clothing, no skirts with slits, hats,
low-cut blouses, or sheer or small scarves)

Shoes/sandals must be worn with socks at all times. Please
do not wear sheer stockings. Please wear practical and comfortable
flat shoes while at the Monastery as it is desert terrain and
the pathways are of rough flagstone. Please wear flat shoes
No high heels, platform shoes or open-toed sandals.

Pilgrims staying at the Monastery and all those attending
church services must observe the order of the Monastery.

If you are not properly attired, please go directly to the Bookstore,
where there is a limited supply of clothing for your use. In the guest
houses, we ask that you remain properly dressed when outside your
room, since the fathers often have need to enter the common areas.

Respect for the Monastery Environment

Due to the sanctity of this Holy place we kindly ask that you respect the
quiet and solitude of the Monastery while on the grounds. Visitors are not permitted to enter the monks' living quarters, guest houses, dining hall nor walk on the porches around them.
Cell phones must be left on the silent/vibrate mode while on the grounds.

Smoking anywhere
within the Holy grounds is strictly forbidden. Loud talking and laughing
are always inappropriate.

Children should not roam freely on the Holy grounds, but remain under
parental supervision at all times.

No pets are allowed on the monastery grounds. The only exception is guide dogs for the blind (guide dogs are not allowed inside the churches).

Photographs

Photographs (including videos) may be taken of the buildings, the grounds
and inside the Church. Please ask before taking photographs of any of
the monks or guests. Photographs (including videos) are not allowed
during the services unless it has a blessing from the Abbot.

Divine Services

Non-Orthodox visitors are asked to participate in the services from the Narthex. Also, Catechumens
are dismissed at the appropriate times during the services.